New-York tribune., 1887-04-14
CONVICTS WORKING as FIRENEM

| THE STATE LAUNDRY AT SING SING DESTROYED
HOW THE PRISONERS BEHAVED.
Four brick walls and heap Of ashes and DEBRIS are ~
that remains Of the State Laundry at Sing sing
took fire at o'clock yesterday morning. ana tne III
terror was entirely consumed The building was three
story brick structure $50 feet long and 60 feet wide ano
in it employed $50 convics. among them Crowley
ONeil and McQuade. The laundry, like the other WORK
shops stood north Of the prison. In the large yard ano
some 500 feet distant 1t not connected Win any
other shop stood the and state repair
shop The mess room, kitchen and storc-room were
also hand but Of them was damaged to any
extent
Yesterday morning. about half an hour after the con-
vcts had gone to work the laundry there an odor
OF burning CLOTH but it thought that some convic'
had burned shirt with hot iron No burned shirt'
however could be found. The smell grew more percept
room at the east end OF the shop When the door was
opened the flames burst forth In great fury ana tnen
gave the ire alarm on the and also sent
telephone alarm to the village. Inc prison Is pro-
vded with an excellent fire service Ise % drs be soon
mains the hill, which furnish tremendous pressure M
There time lost In getting five streams on the no
The village also arrived promptly and soon had
five more streams on the burning building Inc nre md
ing to the adjoining buildings
When the fire broke out the "onyicts not needed 10
work fire huredly marched to their cells In
good order Other volunteer convcts were set to work
and rendered excellent service Especial mention Is que
He has been fireman. and he knew what TO do ana now
TO do it he losing his life while tearing
down part of the burning roof He fell from exnaus
ton and carried to the hospital He not seriously
injured. johnny" Hope, Sergeant Crowley, McQuade
aud convict named OROurke also active In getting
the fire under control . 49,.
In the 1000 dozen shirts all OF which
safely removed by the c0nvics John Simon, ten
convict cut on the hand with broken glass ana
" Paddy Wallace life man, was somewhat burned De-
tween the shoulders by falling timber and bruised on
the shoulder All sent to the hospital In the con-
fusion feared that Of the c0nvics would es
cape, but got away Samuel Frfckhaver burglar,
missed for WHILE but when found, he was at work
like beaver adjoining roof. to keepit from catch,
ing fire from the sparks and he was highly compmented
for his service As the building that burned Is within the
prison walls upon which armed guards are Stationed IL
would be dificnlt 10 escape still Warden Brush Is con-
graduating himself that tho 1000 idle convicts who are
marched out for exercise every morning and evening" had
Just been returned to their cells. 5000
Tho loss Is estimated by the Warden to be $30oO on
the building So 600 shirts, and 1000 through loss to
the by the deness OF cOnvicts There was no In
surance because the State does not insure Its buildings
Warden Brush will make effort to get special appr0
praton TO rebuild the laundry 1t was originally bnlt a
In IS47 by Warden Alfred Walker at cost OF $l2OOO
including machinery The last fire was In 1879. when
the south foundry Of Perry Il Co. was burned Ihe
origin Of the laundry fire Is not known IL Is supposed
have been started by scorched shirt or defective
dua